Southern California -- this just in

Glendale bans gun shows on city property

March 20, 2013 | 6:11
am

Defending the majority of the City Council that voted to ban gun
shows on city-owned property, Glendale Mayor Frank Quintero on Tuesday
said it was well within the purview of local officials to set guidelines
for use of public facilities.

“If we’ve reached a point where a local jurisdiction cannot decide
what goes into their Civic Auditorium and their parks, then we’re in sad
shape,” Quintero said. “The idea that there can’t be any control, that
you have to just kowtow to the [National Rifle Assn.] and the gun lobby,
I disagree.”

The National Rifle Assn. and the operator of the Glendale Gun Show
have already threatened to sue the city over the ordinance, which they
say violates the 1st and 2nd amendments, according to letters sent to
the city attorney’s office.

But the City Council voted
3-2 on Tuesday night to approve the ban before a crowd of about 45
people, noticeably less than the roughly 140 who showed up last week
when the ordinance was introduced.

City officials contend that it is a landlord-tenant issue that does
not infringe on public right to bear arms, particularly since consumers
can still purchase guns from private commercial vendors.

The ordinance blocks the possession or sale of guns at all city parks
and facilities, but exempts public right-of-ways, such as sidewalks and
streets.

Proponents of the ban say it’s an important symbol that shows
Glendale does not support activities that can endanger public safety.
Opponents say the show has operated for two decades without incident and
the ban is a knee-jerk, emotional reaction to a rash of gun violence
and mass shootings across the nation.

“It’s a philosophical question. There’s no right or wrong. It’s just a
matter of opinion,” said Councilman Dave Weaver, who voted against the
ban, along with Councilman Ara Najarian.

The ban is set to take effect in 30 days and city officials plan to
cancel contracts with the Glendale Gun Show operator, Steve Friesen, who
had reserved five more shows through November 2014 at the Civic
Auditorium.

In a statement before the vote, Friesen referred to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December that left 27 people, including 20 first-graders, dead, saying the event
"hit every American hard,” but going after businesses like his is not
the answer.

“The tragic events at Newtown hit every American hard, and now we are
left asking what can be done to prevent such things from happening
again,” he wrote. “I don’t know all the answers, but I know this:
hastily going after and punishing those businesses, organizations and
citizens, that are exercising constitutional rights is not the answer.”